April 2008 Archives

I'm not going to sit here and defend Paula Abdul because we all know she is strange, to say the least. However, in all the years I have been covering "American Idol" and attending the tapings, none was more frenetic than last night. 

 

There were several factors contributing to the chaos that was last night. First, it was a Top 5 show, where for the first time this season the contestants would be singing two songs. The show was in a huge time crunch because besides the two songs they also had to show the Neil Diamond mentor packages.

 

Second, they have never allowed contestants to use instruments on this show before this season. So, during commercial breaks and the taped segments stagehands were frantically moving equipment in and out. There were several times when Ryan was standing with the contestant giving out the phone numbers while other contestants were being ushered on stage beside them.  

 

Third - and most important in the Paula situation - was that they have never in the history of the show asked the judges to hold their critiques. The judges also clearly did not know this "twist" was happening. As soon as Ryan made this announcement, the judges leaned into each other to discuss this new wrench in the plan. According to Paula on KIIS-FM this morning, they had decided at that moment they need a notepad and a pen. 

My first day at Access was exciting.
 

I spent it in Chicago on the bus on the “Access Across America Tour.”

 

What a great way to kick off my first day with all the excitement surrounding the tour and my move to NBC.

 
I remember Billy saying, “We are gonna show you how we do it here at Access,” and we all met up for dinner at Ballo where I realized this show was more than just a show, it was a family and I was the newest member -- even the limo driver was invited to attend.
 

I'm watching “Dancing With The Stars” and I'm sure of one thing...Derek Hough and Shannon Elizabeth are either intimately involved or totally consumed by the thought of intimacy. 

 

Her level of interest is not as assured as his. He cannot keep his hands off her...I remember him being the most touchy feely guy last year, but this year he seems like an adolescent boy discovering his hormones for the first time.

 

He kind of reminds me of Jason Biggs' high school character who falls for Shannon in “American Pie”.  She flashed Biggs.  The Hougher is raging.

 

The topless photo of Miley Cyrus in Vanity Fair seems like a really bad idea that nobody opposed.  Not even Miley's (we thought) protective parents.  And almost as provocative as the topless photo of Miley clutching nothing more than a blanket (every child loves their blankie) is the shot of her with her dad, lounging like lovers, baring the midriff.  We get it, dad and daughter are close but this is a little creepy. She's not 10. She's starting to appear like a woman.

 

I like Miley a lot and I think Billy Ray is as genuine as they get.  The fact that neither dad nor daughter, nor the real backbone of the family, MOM, voiced opposition to this unfortunate invasion of innocence stuns me.

 

Let me be clear, this photo disturbs me greatly.  I have a nine-year-old daughter whose youth and innocence I am desperately trying to extend for as long as humanly possible.  Like many parents, I saw Miley Cyrus as my single greatest ally in this effort.

Judging by Miley's comments in USA Today about how it all went down, I can take a calculated, measured guess as to how this happened.

Yes. It happened again.  The week that Access Hollywood covers a viewing party for one of the "American Idol" contestants, that person has been voted off!  Sorry, Carly Smithson.

 

OK, maybe it’s a coincidence more than a "curse," but this is the second time this season it's happened. In Top 10 week we held a huge party for rocker nurse Amanda Overmyer in her hometown - and bam she was voted off that week!  I've talked about this "curse" before during past "Idol" seasons as this also happened to Ace Young, LaKisha Jones and Matt Rogers.  

 

Although, truthfully, no offense to Carly, but this viewing party for her was really lame. Our producer Celeste and I had met one of Carly's friends at the Top 12 party. She gave Celeste a call and told her she was gathering together people for a party at the Key Club in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. The Key Club is this huge dance club on Sunset Blvd that gets packed. So, we sent a crew over thinking it would be a great event and our poor producer Rebecca was horrified when she arrived to find only 19 people - and only two of them knew Carly personally! At Amanda's she had over 100!  

I'm having a small mental meltdown this morning after frying my brain cells while staying up to watch "The Bachelor: London Calling." Why am I still watching this show? I think I need an intervention. For some reason, I can't look away. It's train wreck TV, at its best.

Last night was the hometown dates with the final four. Bachelor Matt gets a chance to meet the families of each of the women he is still interested in:  Shayne, Amanda, Noelle and Chelsea. I bought into all those promos last week hyping the fact that bachelorette candidate, Amanda's, mother was going to pull a full on cougar on Matt Grant and pounce. At one point they show her rubbing his chest and then actually going in for a kiss - just as her husband walks out and catches them in the act! Now this was reality TV at its juiciest, the type of stuff a producer dreams about while taping. I couldn't wait to see it. You can't make this stuff up. 

 

Except, apparently, you can because it was all BS!!!!!!!  Amanda had hired actors to pretend they were her parents and have his mom hit on Matt. The ridiculous shenanigans were revealed last night. Amanda (Oh, and let's really be honest… we know the producers made her do it) wanted to play a trick on Matt because he told her he loves pranks. The whole thing was BOGUS!  I'm pissed. How dare they toy with my delicate emotions!  

By Lisa Day

So we had to wait through a long strike, but "The Office" is finally back in full force.

After last week's limited cast Dinner Party episode, it was great to see ALL the characters that we love.

And how much do we love Kevin and Phyllis now?

While he usually plays aloof, Kevin revealed his sensitive side was suffering after a recent breakup. And how sweet was his triumph after "winning one" for the team by getting control of the parking lot?

Meanwhile, Phyllis may have one line, but it stole the show as she told Andy to, "make sure you call when you get there, so we know you're OK," after he realized he left his cell phone in his car parked on the street.

And although some fans are finding Jim and Pam's love now stale and static, Jim's engagement ring reveal, and the near proposal, sure changed that!

So thank goodness everyone is back at work, and maybe as the season unfolds we can hear more from the minor players (Stanley… come back!) as we wonder what exactly Creed is going to do with that third office chair?

So, it turns out our little country gal has been hiding a secret for the past month.  This morning in a conference call with reporters Kristy revealed that she and her boyfriend Andy got engaged on March 15th and in the strangest of places - a sauna.  

 

Andy came over to visit his lady at the top-secret apartment complex where the Idol contestants live.  Kristy said since it's tough to get any alone time, without the prying eyes of bodyguards, they headed into the apartment's workout room.  Since people were in the gym she and Andy headed into the sauna for some privacy.  Fortunately, the sauna was turned off so the only heat coming from it was their own.  Kristy said yes to Andy's proposal even though he didn’t get down on one knee.

 

Last night on Fox Reality Channel's "American Idol Extra" though Andy got his chance and did go on bended knee for his future bride asking,

 

"Kristy Lee Cook will you marry me." 

 

She of course said, "yes."

 

 

“The Billy Bush Show” is out of the gates and strong. Julia Roberts phoned in for our opening night. Mariah Carey the next day.  Today, I'm scheduled to chat with Jack Nicholson, with whom I played golf on Saturday. He is a strong player and of course, the biggest star there is. Jack doesn't do much in the press so this is special.

 

Lindsay Lohan will be on Friday.

 

This is not luck or a calling in of favors. It's a result of six years of building a name and reputation. People know I ask the questions that need to be asked but they also know I love a laugh more than anything in life and I want people to never regret coming on with me.

 

Life is too short for burned bridges...of which I only have one in Hollywood. Wait, maybe there's a second, but that's a result of a shortsighted, prejudiced celebrity...nothing to do with me as a person.

 

 I gave up my ticket for "American Idol" last night for a chance to attend "The Biggest Loser" finale.  If you are not watching this show then you need to be! It's by far the best reality show out there right now.  Considering how overweight our nation is this is a show to be proud of on our American airwaves. 
 

These contestants lives have not only been changed drastically by this show but quite possibly their lives have been saved.  Most notably Curtis Bray who came to the "The Biggest Loser" ranch at a whopping 381pounds. He had lost his health insurance for himself and his family and would not qualify unless he weighed a maximum of 238 pounds.  After losing 150 pounds with the help of the show, his current weight right now is 231!     

 

I've never been more excited to attend a TV taping.  I've only ever met the contestants once (before they started the show) but even barely knowing them last night I felt like a proud sister watching her siblings.  It was such an incredible feeling sitting in the audience.  It really truly was not about the money for these people.  What mattered was the number on the scale and what they were able to accomplish.  Unlike the backstabbing and conniving that goes on in shows like "The Bachelor", "Survivor" or "Big Brother", when a contestant is eliminated there are genuine tears and remorse from their competition because they have sent home a friend, confidant and motivator.  

 

The second I walked into the taping, my boyfriend and I did a lap around the studio and wound up running right smack into Ali, Mark and Roger backstage.  I actually had a moment of star struckness.  Ok, make that reality star struckness.  Standing there in his jeans and black jacket, Roger was a hottie all of a sudden! Both he and Mark are barely recognizable as the men I met in October. Ali looked absolutely incredible in a tight fitting black dress.  If you saw this girl walking down the street you would never know she used to be 234 pounds. She looked like a world-class gymnast with these crazy muscular arms.  I knew right then she was going to win this thing.

Last Tuesday night was a great night for Me, Dane Cook, Hollywood in general and best of all the children who benefit from the Lollipop Theater Network, where I sit on the board.

 

Several months ago, Dane Cook offered to headline a stand-up night for me and Lollipop after my misstep on celebrity 'Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?'. His motive was to help make back some money that I lost as a result of "going for it".  A great guy.  His comedy was hysterical.

 

Dom Irrera, Ian Edwards (a guy I had never heard before and boy was he funny) and Jeff Ross all killed it and the crowd went nuts.

 

Best of all, the comics were touched by the work of Lollipop and will come back again if we do it next year, especially Dane.

 

You would think that other MJ - Michael Jackson - had hit the Access Hollywood stage from the organized chaos that occurred here today.

 

Normally, when the eliminated “Idols” come to our stage a few stragglers come into watch. This afternoon, the doors open and a stream of ladies come in and grab a seat in the bleachers. I kind of expected that. What I didn't expect was how his appearance would make our Nancy O'Dell drop everything on a Friday to be here and our producer Felidette come in on her day off for the chance to meet Michael Johns.

 

Even Billy Bush ran over from his radio show for a quick interview.  Sorry Syesha or Kristy Lee Cook, but when your number comes up don't expect this type of greeting here. 

 

It's not just the fact that he is cute that the ladies love. It's that he can really sing. We had mega producer David Foster here to mentor Michael and he was so impressed he asked him to take part in a charity show he is having in Las Vegas on May 23.

In the interest of resurrecting or igniting a lagging career, more and more C and D list celebrities are signing up for reality shows. 

First there was MTV's "The Osbournes" which followed the lives of rocker Ozzy Osbourne and his dysfunctional family.  Many people wondered why anyone would care about the Osbournes. You can barely understand Ozzy through the muffled talking and bizarre behavior - but the show was an instant success and all of a sudden Sharon, Kelly and Jack became overnight stars and the celebreality show craze was born.  
 
Next, there was the "The Anna Nicole Smith Show" followed by "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica" and later "Tommy Lee Goes To College" among others. This trend died down for awhile thank goodness.  However, all of a sudden it's back in a big way.  Right now on the airwaves we are "Keeping Up With the Kardashians", finding "A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila", learning that “Hogan Knows Best" or catching a glimpse of "Gene Simmon's Family Jewels."   

I remember last year sitting in the Disney Concert Hall during the first "Idol Gives Back," tears streaming down my face as Josh Groban performed with the African Children's Choir.   
 
Unfortunately, that inspiring performance is something this year’s show was greatly lacking. My expectations were high considering all the hype surrounding this year’s show. Granted I didn't have a seat inside the Kodak (I was backstage interviewing the celebrities who participated) but I did catch the show on a monitor. No tears came during taped packages with Annie Lennox, Alicia Keys, Bono, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Connelly and Forest Whitaker and musically the show was way less emotional and at times actually a little boring. This is not to say you should not have watched it and donated to all those worthy causes. It's just to say I found yourself drifting off into dreamland somewhere around the second hour. 
 
The show kicked off with a high-energy performance of Rihanna's “Don't Stop The Music” single sung by the Top 8 “Idol” contestants.  Personally, I thought it was corny with a capitol C to have the Idols sing such a high energy, popular right now song. However, I did truly enjoy the "So You Think You Can Dance" contestants performing alongside the “Idols.” That was something to see.
 
Next, Maria Shriver, our first lady of California, comes to the stage with over 100 volunteers to talk about the "Save The Children" organization of which her brother is managing director. The volume is turned down on the monitor so I can't hear what she is saying but I notice that I do enjoy her hair this evening.  Backstage I make a fool of myself with her by telling her that I loved the hair tonight. She actually laughed thank goodness! She talks about how here in California, she wishes people would get "more involved in the process" and makes a plea for everyone to donate their time to volunteering whether it’s an hour a year, a month or a day. 

by Kathy Suarez, Access producer

 

Breathe. One...two...three...breathe.

 

Okay.

 

Today, April 4, 2008 is a new milestone in my life. This was bigger than my wedding day (I still love you Coco). Yes, that’s a bold statement, but it’s true! 

 
My stomach fluttered, my heart raced and I could barely breathe. My hair was perfectly blow dried for the BIG occasion. My New Kids on the Block shirt was so fresh and so clean. Someone, who just a day before the big interview, bragged about how composed she would be. So as Nomi (my friend and colleague at Access Hollywood) and I wait to meet the guys, I remember my 9-year-old self -- I am wearing my New Kids on the Block pajamas with all their faces on me, looking into Joey McIntyre’s eyes as he looks at me from the poster hanging behind my wall and me kissing him before going to bed, going to the record store and buying my NKOTB pins, and then there was that horrible memory of me crying hysterically when my mom told me that I could not go to their Miami concert because I was too young. A memory I prefer to block out because it hurts just thinking about. I was devastated. My world would never be the same. Life was not worth living if I could not see NKOTB up close and personal from the nosebleed section singing “Step by Step” and “The Right Stuff!” What parent would do that to a child?

But little did I know that life had a surprise waiting for me...

 

Fast Forward 15 years later and I am standing in the “Today” show green room waiting for them to walk in. There are platters of food everywhere -- food that they have touched! I wonder, "What if I took some and sold it on EBay?" "Which carrot or Polio-O cheese did Joey bite into?"

 

Then the door opens and in comes Joey first (my fave!) and he tells me "I love your shirt!" and I say "And I love you."

 

Did I just tell him that I loved him?! I did! And it felt good! 

by Nomi Pincus, Access production assistant

 

The time, 1990. The place, my living room in New Jersey. There I was, a young 12-year-old girl dancing along to my favorite VHS tape of the New Kids on the Block compilation videos.

 

I would dance and sing along, fantasizing that maybe I would be able to go to one of their concerts...just to see them in person. I didn't care if I was in the last row, just to be in the same room with them would mean the world to me. They were my life, my everything, I was officially obsessed.

 

From wall to wall posters, to their pillow cases and pajama sets, my world was all about NKOTB! I would dream about meeting them and then wake up with disappointment as reality hit. And as life sometimes offers us disappointments, my mother said I was too young to go their concert, and so along with many of my crazy, young dreams, that one was laid to rest and life moved on...without NKOTB!
 

So, here is what went down inside the studio. Tears, tears and more tears. That's mostly what I remember about last night's "American Idol" taping. Viewers at home saw a very emotional Brooke White when she was placed in the bottom three. What you didn't see at home was Brooke in near convulsions during the commercial break. The contestants all went to sit on the couch for Dolly Parton's performance and while Ramiele and Kristy Lee Cook sat quietly with their heads together, Brooke was standing with her back to the audience in heavy sobs. Carly, David Archuleta and Syesha all came over to comfort her while David Cook, Michael Johns and Jason Castro just kind of sat there. Brooke continued her sobbing during Dolly's performance of 'Jesus and Gravity.' She was so emotional she had me believing she was the one going home. 

 

Fortunately, for Brooke it was Ramiele Malubay who was eliminated. She too was in sobs and at one point was heaving so badly, with the fellow contestants surrounding her during her taped piece, I was convinced she was going to just plop her butt on the floor and say she wasn’t going to sing. Personally, I thought that might have been a good idea for her. It certainly would have had people talking today.  At the conclusion of the show she was led off stage and Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson followed her. This morning she told reporters on a conference call that Simon told her, "Oh cry on my shoulder," and it was all about song selection for her. 

 

What cameras also missed last night were some scary moments when a woman in the mosh pit fainted a split second after Ryan Seacrest threw to the third commercial break. The whole entire audience heard the thud and the stage manager Debbie screamed for someone to call a paramedic. Several folks including security rushed over and moved the crowd back. Paramedics then woke her up and walked out backstage. Security told me she had not eaten all day and was fine. This all happened right in front of Ramiele who was shocked when she went down, "I kind of was like oh my goodness! She was OK though." 

We are less than a week away from the first ever Lollipop Laugh Off with Headliner Dane Cook. 

(click the image to the left to view the event details!)

Since joining the board of Lollipop Theater Network a couple years ago, I have found myself getting more and more involved. Frankly, it's impossible not to when one considers the mission of Lollipop: we bring movies currently showing, and, when possible, the stars of the films, to children who are confined to the hospital. No kid should be cut off from the world his or her friends know every day, to battle illness.  

The laughter and the normalcy can help a child to fight illness and stave off fear. When I think about a child laying in isolation surrounded by wires, tubes, beeping devices, it crushes me. Light, laughter, entertainment, and distractions of a childlike nature are essential. We provide that.

Well, if that title doesn't tell you what I did last night then I guess you don't watch much TV. After tuning out all TV last week while at Fitness Ridge, it was strange to go back and watch back to back reality shows. One week away and I already lost my prime ticket to the Idol taping and had to watch the show from home on television. The best part about it was being able to get up during the commercials!  I will be there tonight for Dolly Parton though.
 
I won't bore you with a recap of last night's "Idol" performances -- instead I'll just muse on a few things that stuck out to me. 
 
# 1 - Why does Randy Jackson start every single critique with "Yo, so check it out?"

# 2 - # 2 - Who else thinks David Cook could be this year's winner?  His was the only performance that made me stop paying bills, look up and pay attention to the whole performance. It's such a strange season though. In the past I've been able to pick from the night of the Top 12 party who I think will win. Jordin Sparks, Taylor Hicks, Carrie Underwood were just givens to me. This season it's more difficult to decide. I hope David doesn't fall under the Daughtry curse and get ousted during the top 4 week. Having said that though,  how many albums has Daughtry sold compared to Taylor Hicks?! 

# 3 - Ramiele Malubay is so tiny she makes Ryan Seacrest look like a giant and that's VERY hard to do.